Art Vacation is a Singer, Songwriter, TV Personality and a Media Activist. He seeks a fine balance of TV, Music & Entertainment Lifestyle.
ABOUT ART VACATION
In Short:
Born in Bangkok, Thailand. Studied in Singapore. Graduated MBA in the US. Started playing music when he was 14. First instrument, a guitar.
Art has been a waiter, a club DJ, a college radio DJ, a professional music-talk radio DJ in Seattle and Bangkok, a singer, composer, stage actor for Disney for 3 years, a signed artist with Sony Music Thailand since 2002, a television personality since 2005 and a full-time TV programming executive, a restaurant/bar owner and an emcee for music-related events around the globe.
In Long:
1997, Art went on to Seattle, Washington in pursue of his college degree. Months after he arrived, the Asian economic bubble burst and Art was asked to come home for his parents had no way of paying for all his expenses. "They could only pay for school. The rest I have to come up with on my own." Art refused to leave the US so he stayed to washed dishes, chopped up vegetables, cleaned toilets, sweeped the parking lot, emptied the garbage, waited tables while attending college for eight years.
He completed his BA in Mass Communications from Seattle University in 2000, started working for an internet service provider company while keeping the job at the restaurant to save up for his tuition for a Certificate in Sound Production at the Unversity of Washington. Art DJ at a karaoke bar, asserting some house and techno music till late night hours. "It was great for me to listen to music after a long day at work or school, have a beer and get paid while doing it."
Working 80 hours a week while completing his MBA in Technology Management at the University of Phoenix, Washington Campus has left Art with little time to play his guitar. Still, if there was ever a moment that Art could play Thai and English covers to his friends, strangers and drinkers, he was always there singing his heart out. It was around this time that the journals which Art has been writing eversince he's been away from home are slowly tranforming themselves into song ideas.
Art is the lead singer, guitarist and composer of Vacation Band.
ABOUT VACATION BAND
Vacation Band was formed in Seattle, Washington, USA in late 1999. The band played live at various events around town and at a local bar, Racha every weekend until their single was discovered on Thai radio in 2003. Art, Vacation Band front man returned to Thailand to signed with Sony Music Thailand and released his debut album, VACATION2GO.
Their first single, "Kuen Jai" (Return to me) was the number one hit on all the Thai radio charts nationwide, some for as long as 13 weeks while the whole band was in Seattle, Washington.
Vacation Band’s music has been popularly selected for various prime-time dramas, sitcoms and TV shows since 2004.
In 2006, Vacation Band released their second album, Vacation Love Trip. Fan clubs were formed and the band continued to perform for some of the most prestigious events throughout the whole Kingdom of Thailand.
Art Vacation, the band lyricist, guitarist and vocalist has been performing at various night club bookings in Cannes, Los Angeles and Singapore when his job as a television program acquisitioner requires him to travel.
In 2008, Vacation Band finished recording their third album, Vacation One Take. This time the band took a new approach to their music. Vacation band improvised on the arrangement and recorded the whole album live. This album is being distributed by Sony Music starting January 2009.
One month later, their new single has already made it to the top five positions nationwide.
“There are more English songs in this album. The style is Variety Pop with rock, blues, funk, soul and jazz influences. They sound a bit retro but the whole feeling is very new and fun to us”, Art commented.
Vacation band played the biggest gig at the Impact Arena in Bangkok with an audience of 32,000 on both nights opening for F4, a Taiwanese group of artists in 2006.
In November 2008, Vacation Band was invited to perform for the Coronation Celebration of His Majesty King Jigme of Bhutan in downtown Thimphu and again in the Royal Palace.
The band recently performed its 800th show in December 2008 as Vacation Band marked its first decade of original music making and performing.
In December 2008, their first international single, “Unappreciated” was released in Asia-Pacific. Today, Vacation Band's new singles can be heard on the radio, in local dramas, sitcoms, TV shows, online, in feature films and of course, LIVE at the various events regionally.
Vacation Band consists of Art (vocal/guitar), Tun (bass), Toe (drummer) and Orm (guitar). Other members include Pong, Pat and Platong.
More info at www.vacationband.com
For general inquiries, please contact Art Vacation at happyart@hotmail.com or call Sony Music Thailand at +662.686.8000
DISCOGRAPHY
2002 Black Sheep 01 BLACK SHEEP, SONY BMG
2003 Vacation 2 GO BLACK SHEEP, SONY BMG
2006 Vacation Love Trip Vacation Records
2007 Connection Records First Edition Connection Records
2008 Vacation One Take BLACK SHEEP, SONY BMG